Bill-file.



G. L. PASSMORE.

BILL FILE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.9,1911.

1,088,837. 1 Patented M21113, 1914.

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ATTORNEY.

UNTTED STATES PTENT OFFICE.

CHARLES L. PASSMORE, OF CLINTON, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN L. SOMMER MFG. 00., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

BILL-FILE.

messes.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 9, 1911.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

Serial No. 601,532.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. PASSMORE, a citizen of the United States, residin at Clinton, in the county of Clinton and S t-ate of Iowa, have invented certain Improvements in Bill-Files, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in the construction of bill files, and one of the objects of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which is positive and reliable in operation and which embodies novel features of construction whereby it can be so cheaply manufactured as to be sold for a very small consideration or even distributed gratuitiously for advertising purposes.

A further object of the invention the provision of a bill file which is durable and compact in its construction and which is peculiarly designed so as to automatically release the bills or loose papers when a downward pressure is applied thereto, and again grip the papers when the pressure is removed.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain combinations and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features being pointed out in the appended claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a top plan View of a bill file constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View of the same, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the bill file.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawing by the same reference characters.

Specifically describing the present embodiment of the inventlon, the numeral 1 designates the base plate and 2 the supporting plate which projects over the same and is arranged at an acute angle thereto, the said elements being formed from a single sheet of resilient material which is returned upon itself at an intermediate point in its length. The resilient action of the supporting plate 2 normally tends to spring the same upwardly away from the base plate 1, and the free end of the said supporting plate is formed with a pair of perforations 3 which loosely receive the two arms l of a clip, the

lower extremities of the said arms being hingedly connected to an upturned lip 5 at the rear end of the base plate 1, while the upper ends of the said arms 4L are extended forwardly and downwardly as indicated at i and connected by a clamping bar (3. The bills or loose leaves 7 are designed to have their upper edges gripped by the clamping bar 6 and held yieldingly against the supporting plate 2 thereby. In this connection, it will be observed that the portions l are arranged at an acute angle to the body portion of the arms at so as not to interfere in any manner with the gripping action of the clamping bar.

When it is desired to release the bills for any purpose, it is merely necessary to supply sufficient pressure to the supporting plate 2 to overcome the resilient action thereof and force it toward the base plate 1, thereby moving the supporting plate away from the clamping bar. The perforations 3 in the supporting plate 2 are arranged in such a relation to the upturned lip 5 at the rear end of the base plate that when the supporting plate i pressed downwardly, the arms 4- are simultaneously swung rearwardly. The clamping bar 6 of the clip is thereby both lifted from the bills or loose leaves and swung rearwardly away from the same when the supporting plate pushed. toward the base plate. As soon as the pressure upon the sllpporting plate is removed, however, the supporting plate again springs upwardly and the clip is. again brought back into operative position so that any loose papers which may have been placed upon the suppm-ting plate will have their upper edges gripped by the clamping bar.

The base plate 1 is preferably deflected upwardly on a transverse line between the ends thereof so that the device will always sit squarely upon a support. This construction is also very desirable where the device is formed of sheet metal, since otherwise the slight downward bulging of the base plate produced when the supporting plate is forced downwardly would produce a curved lower surface upon which the device as a whole would have a tendency to rock. The upper end of the supporting plate is deflected downwardly and rearwardly at 8 and then extended upwardly and rearwardly to provide the inclined flange 9 upon which advertising matter or the like may be placed. The groove formed at the junction of the flange 9 and downwardly deflected portion 8 may be used, if desired, for the reception of a pencil or the like. The base plate 1 also preferably has a hole 10 near its rear end, so that the bill-file can be hung upon a nail or hook on the wall, if desired.

Having thus described the invention, What I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent, is.:

The hereindescribed bill file, comprising a single integral piece of resilient sheet metal bent into V-shape with the two leaves normally spread apart and forming one a base and the other a sloping support perforated near its free end, said free end projecting beyond the perforations and forming a pencil holder, and a U-shaped wire clip having its closed end adapted to lie against the support adjacent the free end thereof and its arms bent loosely through said perforations and pivoted to the free end of the base.

CHARLES L. PASSMORE. In the presence of- MAnvml-I. LAKE, MAE MURRAY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the fiommissionerof Patents,

Washington, D. G. V 

